Astilbe plant named ‘Vision Vulcano’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Vision Vulcano’, characterized by its broadly upright and strong plant habit; strong and healthy foliage; freely, uniformly and remontant flowering habit with inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; flowers that are red purple in color that fade to purple with development; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: (Astilbe chinensis x Astilbe japonica) X Astilbex arendsii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VISION VULCANO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbeplant, botanically known as (Astilbe chinensis x Astilbe japonica) XAstilbe x arendsii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘VisionVulcano’.

The new Astilbe plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Noorden, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to create new uniform and strong Astilbe plantswith attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Astilbe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in June, 2005 in Noorden, The Netherlands, of an unnamedproprietary selection of Astilbe chinensis x Astilbe japonica, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with Astilbe x arendsii ‘WeisseGloria’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Astilbeplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Noorden, The Netherlands in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe plant by divisions in acontrolled environment in Noorden, The Netherlands since June, 2012, hasshown that the unique features of this new Astilbe plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astilbe have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Vision Vulcano’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Vision Vulcano’ as a new and distinctAstilbe plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and strong plant habit.    -   2. Strong and healthy foliage.    -   3. Freely, uniformly and remontant flowering habit with        inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane.    -   4. Flowers that are red purple in color that fade to purple with        development.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are shorter than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe are more upright        and have narrower branch angles than plants of the female parent        selection.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, ‘Weisse Gloria’, in flower color as flowers of plants of the newAstilbe are red purple in color becoming closer to purple withdevelopment whereas flowers of plants of ‘Weisse Gloria’ are white incolor.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of Astilbe chinensis‘Vision in Red’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,965. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Astilbe differ from plantsof ‘Vision in Red’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are shorter than plants of the        ‘Vision in Red’.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe are more upright        and have narrower branch angles than plants of ‘Vision in Red’.    -   3. Plants of the new Astilbe and ‘Vision in Red’ differ in        flower color as flowers of plants of the new Astilbe fade to a        darker purple color than flowers of plants of ‘Vision in Red’.

Plants of the new Astilbe can also be compared to Astilbe x arendsii‘Gloria Purpurea’, not patented. Plants of the new Astilbe and ‘GloriaPurpurea’ differ primarily in flower color as flowers of plants of thenew Astilbe are red purple in color becoming closer to purple withdevelopment whereas flowers of plants of ‘Gloria Purpurea’ are pink incolor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Astilbe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Astilbe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Vision Vulcano’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Vision Vulcano’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the early summer in ground bedsand 21-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lisserbroek, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Astilbeproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 16° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C.Plants were one year old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: (Astilbe chinensis x Astilbe japonica) X    Astilbe x arendsii ‘Vision Vulcano’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Astilbe chinensis x Astilbe japonica, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Astilbe x arendsii ‘Weisse Gloria’,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at            temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight            months at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, moderately fibrous; typically            whitish to greyed orange in color, actual color of the roots            is dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly            upright and strong plant habit; flowering stems and leaves            basal; dense and bushy growth habit; moderately vigorous            growth habit; moderate growth rate; freely, uniformly and            remontant flowering habit with numerous flowers on branched            panicles positioned above the foliar plane.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 32.5            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About            67.8 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 52.4 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 19.8 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Internode length: About 11.9 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: About 5° from vertical. Texture and luster: Sparsely            pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to N199C; with development,            close to 200B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound; up to 21            leaflets per leaf develop.        -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 34 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 29.7 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 6.7 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 5.1 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Broadly ovate to broadly deltoid in overall            outline.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet shape.—Ovate to broadly            elliptic.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet apex.—Apiculate to acute.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet base.—Short attenuate to            rounded.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet margin.—Biserrate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent, slightly rugose;            slightly glossy.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet color.—Developing leaflets,            upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaflets, upper            surface: Close to 13813. Fully expanded leaflets, upper            surface: Darker than between NN137A and 147A; venation,            close to 144A. Fully expanded leaflets, lower surface:            Between 147A and 147B; venation, close to 152D.        -   Leaf petiole length.—About 27 cm.        -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Leaf petiole strength.—Strong.        -   Leaf petiole texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.        -   Leaf petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 176B; distally,            close to N199B.        -   Leaf petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 200D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Numerous single rotate            flowers arranged on terminal branched panicles; flowers face            upright, outward or downward depending on position on the            panicle; freely and uniformly flowering habit with about            1,600 flowers developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet and pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 13            weeks after planting and flower remontantly from late spring            to late summer in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 29.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.9 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 59A; distally, close to 71A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 7 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 5.5 mm. Lobe width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Narrowly cuneate. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing petals, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 71A to 71B. Fully expanded petals,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 72B; color becoming            closer to N77B with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, lower 60% fused; campanulate-shaped calyx. Length:            About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing sepals,            upper surface: Close to 59B. Developing sepals, lower            surface: Close to 59A. Fully developed sepals, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 73D; fading towards the apex and            margins to close to 61A and at the margins and apex, close            to 59A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 38.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster:            Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Between 187A            and 200B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle:            About 40° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color:            Close to 61A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            ten. Filament length: About 3.5 mm. Filament color: Close to            71B. Anther shape: Broadly ovate; basifixed. Anther size:            About 0.3 mm by 0.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 68C to 68D.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 156D. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: Two. Pistil length: About 1.5 mm. Style            length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 71A. Stigma            diameter: About 0.1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma            color: Close to 71A. Ovary color: Close to 60B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Astilbe.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Astilbe have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind, low    temperatures about −25° C. and high temperatures about 35° C. and to    be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘VisionVulcano’ as illustrated and described.